MOM: National Jobs Council curated 92,000 new job opportunities as at end-July

As at end-July 2020, the National Jobs Council (NJC) has curated 92,000 new job opportunities and 24,000 jobseekers have been placed into jobs, revealed the inaugural Jobs Situation Report by the Ministry of Manpower. 

Since the start of the COVID-19 outbreak, the Government has stepped up support for employers and workers. These efforts, which are now coordinated through the NJC, include the SGUnited Jobs and Skills Package which aims to support close to 100,000 jobseekers by expanding job, traineeship, attachment and training opportunities.

To help jobseekers better access these opportunities, the new Jobs Situation Report will provide weekly updates on the jobs situation in Singapore, highlighting the opportunities available for jobseekers and how they can be accessed.

The inaugural report has been broken down into two main segments - updates on the SGUnited Jobs and Skills Package, and the Government's engagement and outreach efforts. Subsequent reports will also include other key employment indicators, such as cost-saving measures adopted by companies, so that members of the public can have access to important information on a regular and timely basis.

Updates on the SGUnited Jobs and Skills Package

As at end-July, 92,000 committed opportunities* has been curated by the NJC.

Of these, about half were significantly funded by the Government (including traineeships and attachments hosted by private sector firms) or jobs offered by public sector agencies. The other half are jobs offered by private sector employers. The latter, together with the SGUnited Traineeships opportunities are hosted on MyCareersFuture.sg (MCF).

By end-July, 24,000 jobseekers have been placed into these opportunities.

Initially, the focus was on placing jobseekers into more short-term jobs (up to 12 months’ duration) to handle the surge in COVID-19 related operations, especially in the public sector.

Since then, the Government has been ramping up efforts to implement SGUnited Traineeships, SGUnited Mid-Career Pathways and SGUnited Skills training programmes. Subsequent reports will shed light on the placements into these opportunities that are aimed at upskilling and preparing workers for the economic recovery. 

After the first Jobs and Economy press conference, Minister for Manpower Josephine Teo said in an article on LinkedIn: "Previously, jobseekers may not have thought about joining an unfamiliar industry, or feel that the role is not quite what they are looking for. However, as we chart a new path for our economy, our workforce will also have to adapt, and I encourage jobseekers to try out new opportunities to gain relevant experience in new or growth sectors.

"At the same time, I urge companies to adjust employment conditions and bring more locals on board, and consider candidates regardless of age, or even if they may not appear to be a perfect fit with the job role."

In her article, Teo also noted that despite a softer labour market, pockets of hiring can be seen - such as in electronics and precision engineering in the manufacturing sector. "In fact, business owners have shared that there were 1,000 manufacturing jobs available, with a large number still unfilled."

https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:6698913540323078145/

Engagement and outreach efforts

To help jobseekers navigate the opportunities, Workforce Singapore (WSG) has organised a series of events including walk-in interviews and Career Workshops. At the same time,WSG has been deploying SGUnited Jobs and Skills Info Kiosks almost every week in neighbourhoods to promote and raise awareness of various schemes under the SGUnited Jobs and Skills Package.

Last month, a total of 59 outreach and engagement activities have been conducted across Singapore reaching some 13,000 jobseekers.

Walk-in Interviews

Nearly 1,000 opportunities were available at the 11 walk-in interviews held in July 2020. These include opportunities in sectors such as early childhood education, food & beverages, retail, logistics and manufacturing. Slightly more than 300 jobseekers applied for at least one job, and more than 200 were shortlisted.

Career Workshops

In July 2020, 43 career workshops and seminars were organised to help jobseekers better prepare for jobs of the future and to improve their job search. These events were attended by close to 2,700 individuals, and included topics such as overcoming job search fatigue, improving communications during interviews, online interview skills, and improving productivity while working from home, managing teams via virtual platforms, and improving one’s EQ at work.

SGUnited Jobs and Skills Info Kiosks

In July 2020, WSG was able to reach over 5,700 individuals through the SGUnited Jobs and Skills Info Kiosks across Ghim Moh, Bedok, Seng Kang, Ang Mo Kio and Pasir Ris. 

• About 62% of visitors were aged 40 and above.
• Based on feedback collected, around eight in 10 visitors gained a better understanding of the SGUnited Jobs and Skills Package after visiting the information kiosk.
• More than 130 visitors interacted with WSG's Career Ambassadors over live chat for bite-sized career advisory services. In doing so, these individuals were provided with tailored career advice depending on their job situation.

To encourage safe distancing and minimise the amount of time visitors spend at the physical kiosks, the Info Kiosks were designed as a blended physical-virtual setup, with visitors also encouraged to visit a specially created website to find out more at their convenience. WSG was able to reach over 4,600 individuals through this platform. Less technically-savvy individuals were provided with physical collaterals to take home.

* Note: Committed opportunities refer to approved places under SGUnited Jobs and Skills programmes, jobs created by Public Sector, and Private Sector Jobs advertised on MCF as of end-Jul 2020.

Infographics / MOM
Photo / 123RF.com